Hu Tennis Team Eyes National Title

May 13, 1989|By SONNY DEARTH Staff Writer

HAMPTON — From 1985-88, Hampton University's men's tennis team has marched to the brink of the NCAA Division II championship. But against Chapman College of Orange, Calif., Dr. Robert Screen's Pirates have stumbled worse than the Three Stooges.

Four years. Four losses to Chapman - three for the national title, the other in the 1986 semifinals.

Thanks to that slice of humble pie, HU won't be cocky in next week's NCAA shootout in Lake Ozark, Mo. Like last year, the Pirates are top-ranked heading into the tournament, but now they realize that means nothing.

"There is a tendency for players who are good to think all they have to do is show up on the court at the nationals," Screen said. "We were very overconfident in the national finals last year. That's not the way to do it.

"That royal blue and white (HU's colors) makes people play their best tennis."

"Last year, we were too confident," Pirates' No. 1 player Luis Nascimento said. "I got crazy last year. I couldn't play at all in singles."

Ironically, Chapman may not be HU's toughest competition when the event begins Monday. Though the seedings and pairings for the eight-team field won't be made until Sunday afternoon, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo is second in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association poll, with Rollins College of Florida third and Chapman only fourth.

If the tournament committee sticks to the rankings, Hampton (22-3) would play No. 12 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in the opening round. SIUE, the school United States Davis Cup doubles team Ken Flach and Robert Seguso once attended, unexpectedly gave the Pirates a difficult match in last year's first round.

The other three teams will be tournament host Southwest Baptist University, ranked fifth; sixth-ranked Bloomsburg University (Pa.); and seventh-ranked California-Davis. Southwest Baptist is located in Bolivar, Mo., about one hour away from the tournament site.

Screen's top concern is helping his players recover from a host of nagging injuries. For example, No. 5 player John Atiomo has suffered shoulder trouble and No. 3 Marco Azevedo has undergone back spasms.

"Atiomo hurt his shoulder, but I think it's more his head than his shoulder," Screen said.

Only one of the Pirates' top seven players, senior Stephen Martin of Largo, Md., is from the United States. The rest are natives either of Africa, Europe or South America.

"These kids come from tropical climates, and in the winter, they're not used to the weather we work out in," Screen said.

"Then they don't have a chance to rest the injury. But I don't play anyone who the trainer says not to play."

Unlike last season, when the Pirates' first loss was a 5-2 setback to Chapman in the finals, Hampton discovered its mortality in the regular season with three defeats - Oklahoma State (8-1), Oklahoma (5-4) and Florida (5-4).

"Last year, we didn't know what kind of weaknesses to work on," No. 2 player Islam Ul-Haq said. "It was a great help when we played Oklahoma State. We've been practicing more on our weaknesses."

Ul-Haq, a junior, knows something about pressure. He played Davis Cup for Pakistan from 1984-86 and said he may rejoin the squad in zonal competition against Thailand in July.

"Davis Cup is the most pressure," Ul-Haq said. "But it's the same thing in the nationals, only you're playing for the school. The (No-Ad) scoring is different here - if you hit a lucky shot, it's over."

Nascimento, a Brazilian sophomore who inherited the No. 1 position when countryman Flavio Lima became academically ineligible and Nigerian Yakubu Suleiman's return visa was denied, said playing the top spot has conditioned him well.

"But if my mind's not working, I can't play at all," Nascimento said. "It's tough playing No. 1 here because when a lot of teams get down 5-0 (by losing all the other singles matches), my opponent says he doesn't care and starts hitting the ball harder."

Despite all his worries, Screen managed to find a good omen, recalling that a trip to Missouri in 1976 produced the Pirates' only national championship. It came at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, when the team title was determined by points from the individual singles and doubles tournaments.

"I think we're the best team down the line," Screen said. "We should win the tournament. But all these injuries drive me crazy."

IN INDIVIDUAL PLAY, the Pirates managed to get all six of their starters and all three of their doubles teams into the national tournament, which begins Thursday after the team tourney ends. The participating coaches conducted a 7 1/2-hour conference call Monday night to determine the field.

Nascimento, Ul-Haq, Azevedo, No. 4 Innocent Modica, Atiomo and No. 6 Muri Ajibade will be entered in the 64-man singles event, with Martin selected as an alternate. In doubles, Ul-Haq-Ajibade, Nascimento-Azevedo and Modica-Atiomo were named to the 32-team doubles draw.

Nascimento is ranked second and Ul-Haq seventh in the nation in singles, while Ul-Haq and Ajibade are ranked first in doubles.